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Visit India and follow the famous Golden Triangle. Enjoy the perfect introduction to India's three most popular destinations - Delhi, Agra and Jaipur - as we explore the icons and discover the secrets of this fascinating region. Experience the history of massive forts, the opulence and splendour of Rajasthan's palaces, the bustle and buzz of markets and bazaars, and the traditions of a heritage stay. Travel through a land full of contrasts on this compact India tour, jam-packed with unforgettable highlights.

Overlooking the picturesque scene of Moata Lake, the monumental Amber Fort is one sight that will forever be under India’s protection

Experience authentic Rajasthani luxury with a heritage stay in Karauli

Old and New Delhi fuse to create a city that pays homage to past empires, while wrestling with its modern identity

For those with limited time, long travel days are kept to a minimum, which is perfect for visiting several icons of northern India

Is this trip right for you?

This is our most compact trip in India in Original style and a lot is packed in to the itinerary. If you are after a trip that spends longer in the north of India, see trip codes HHSR, HHSU or HHSC on our website.

India can reach extremely high temperatures in the summer. While we aim to do our walking tours early in the morning when it’s cooler, remember to keep hydrated and to bring a hat, sunscreen, a long-sleeved shirt and anything else that will protect you from the sun.

We visit a number of temples on this trip, which requires a certain level of modesty. Please bring clothes that cover the arms and pants/skirts that go past the knees so we can be respectful and comfortable during our sightseeing.

Namaste. Welcome to India. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. Please look for a note in the hotel lobby or ask reception where it will take place. We'll be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this meeting, so ensure you bring these details to provide to your leader. If you're going to be late, please inform hotel reception. Perhaps visit the World Heritage-listed Humayun's Tomb, Qutub Minar or Red Fort of Delhi if you have any spare time.

Accommodation

Hotel (1 night)

Optional Activities

Delhi - Humayun's Tomb - INR500

Delhi - Red Fort - INR500

Delhi - Gandhi's Delhi Urban Adventure - INR2700

Delhi - City Food Crawl Urban Adventure - INR3500

Meals Included

Join your group leader on an excursion through Old Delhi. Ride the city’s metro system, and then hop in a rickshaw to the once water-filled square of Chandni Chowk. Discover the Jama Masjid, Delhi’s oldest mosque, before learning about the history of the Sikh religion at the Sheeshganj Gurudwara.

Accommodation

Hotel (1 night)

Included Activities

Delhi - Old Delhi walking tour

Delhi - Jama Masjid

Delhi - Sheeshganj Gurudwara (Sikh Temple)

Meals Included

Travel by private vehicle into Rajasthan and on to its capital, Jaipur (approximately 5 - 6 hours). A friendly, busy town crammed with palaces and bazaars full of jewellery, textiles and folk-based arts, Jaipur is a favourite for many travellers. Our suggestions are to stop by the Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds), then head over to Jaipur's Royal City Palace and explore its extravagant rooms and apartments. Later, discover one of the five astronomical observatories built by Maharaja Jai Singh, the founder of Jaipur.

Accommodation

Hotel (1 night)

Included Activities

Jaipur - Walking tour

Optional Activities

Jaipur - Bollywood Movie at Raj Mandir Cinema - INR400

Jaipur - Jantar Mantar Observatory - INR200

Jaipur - City Palace - INR500

Meals Included

Choose to take an early morning hot air balloon experience, often a highlight of visiting Jaipur. Ballooning can be done over Jaipur on the morning of day four between September and June. Mid afternoon visit the Amber Fort. Set on a hilltop overlooking Maota Lake, the fort is an authentic example of Rajput architecture and the Sheesh Mahal (Hall of Mirrors) is one of its more spectacular buildings.

Accommodation

Hotel (1 night)

Included Activities

Jaipur - Amber Fort

Optional Activities

Jaipur - Balloon Safari - USD260

Meals Included

Leave the ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur behind and drive to Karauli (approximately 5-6 hours). This delightful town was founded in 1348 and is packed with rural ambience and traditional temples. Take a guided walk around the Old Quarter, interacting with friendly locals and learning about rural Indian life off the tourist trail. Be sure to visit the eclectic market stalls along the way and sample some seasonal local sweets made from Indian ingredients, including petha (pumpkin), jiggery (organic sugar), peanut brittle and gazak (sesame seeds). Stay in a restored heritage property tonight where dinner is included.

Accommodation

Heritage Property (1 night)

Included Activities

Karauli - Village walk

Meals Included

On the journey to Agra, stop en route at the one-time capital of the Mughal empire, Fatehpur Sikri (approximately 4 hours). Its stunning mosque displays both Persian and Hindu design and is secured by a 54-metre high entrance. Once in Agra, there’s the option of visiting the marble tomb that was saved for the greatest of the Mughal Emperors, Akbar's Mausoleum. The day then culminates in a visit to the Taj Mahal, built in the 1640s as a memorial to the wife of Emperor Shah Jahan.

Accommodation

Hotel (1 night)

Included Activities

Fatehpur Sikri - Guided tour

Agra - Taj Mahal

Optional Activities

Agra - Additional entries to Taj Mahal - INR1000

Meals Included

In the morning, take a guided tour along the banks of the Yamuna River to the iconic Agra Fort. Originally designed by Emperor Akbar in 1565 to be a military structure, it was converted into a palace during Emperor Shah Jahan's reign and later became his prison. In the early afternoon, take the 3-4 hour journey back to Delhi by private bus. Arrive back at the hotel with enough time to freshen up and decide whether to enjoy one final dinner with the group.

Accommodation

Hotel (1 night)

Included Activities

Agra - Agra Fort

Meals Included

There are no activities planned for the final day and you're able to depart the accommodation at any time. Check out time from the hotel is 12 noon. If you are departing later, you can arrange luggage storage at the hotel. If you decide to stay an extra couple of days, there are plenty of activities in and around the city to enjoy.

Optional Activities

Delhi - Home-Cooked Experience Urban Adventure - INR4000

Delhi - Culture Vulture Urban Adventure - INR2500

Meals Included

There are no meals included on this day.

Inclusions

Meals

1 breakfast,
1 dinner

Transport

Private vehicle,
Shuttle bus,
Cycle rickshaw,
Auto rickshaw,
Metro

Accommodation

Heritage Property (1 night),
Hotel (6 nights)

Included activities

Delhi - Old Delhi walking tour

Delhi - Jama Masjid

Delhi - Sheeshganj Gurudwara (Sikh Temple)

Jaipur - Walking tour

Jaipur - Amber Fort

Karauli - Village walk

Fatehpur Sikri - Guided tour

Agra - Taj Mahal

Agra - Agra Fort

Meals

1 breakfast,
1 dinner

Transport

Private vehicle,
Shuttle bus,
Cycle rickshaw,
Auto rickshaw,
Metro

Accommodation

Heritage Property (1 night),
Hotel (6 nights)

Included activities

Delhi - Old Delhi walking tour

Delhi - Jama Masjid

Delhi - Sheeshganj Gurudwara (Sikh Temple)

Jaipur - Walking tour

Jaipur - Amber Fort

Karauli - Village walk

Fatehpur Sikri - Guided tour

Agra - Taj Mahal

Agra - Agra Fort

Dates & availability

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There are currently no scheduled departures on our India's Golden Triangle trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.

Important notes

1. A Single Supplement to have your own room is available for this trip and is applicable for all nights .
2. Hot air balloon flights are operated by Sky Waltz in Jaipur. Flights operate mornings from September to June and morning and evening from September to March. Morning flights depart around sunrise and evening flights late afternoon and last 60 mins. Return transfers, tea and coffee plus light refreshments and a certificate of flight are included in the cost. You can register your interest and pay your tour leader at your joining meeting on day 1 of your trip. Payment must be made by cash in either INR/AUD/USD/GBP only and is USD$260pp (subject to change). Flights are subject to weather conditions and tickets are fully refundable in case of poor weather.
3. Using mud pack therapy the Archaeological Survey of India is planning to clean the four small canopies around the main dome of the Taj Mahal from the start of April 2018. This will be followed by the cleaning of the main dome but that could take some time as ASI is yet to calculate its load bearing capacity. The ASI’s science branch officials have stated that cleaning the four canopies will take approximately 2 months while main dome cleaning will be completed in phases. We will continue to update as information becomes available.
4. Due to availability shortage at our Heritage Stay in Karauli, our October 19th, 2018 departure will instead visit Suroth Village and overnight in our Suroth Mahal Heritage Stay.

Essential trip information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.